To begin with, it is the weight of the flukes (7, 8) forming a pivot with the crown (6) of the stockless anchor that, when placed on the floor, causes the anchor to become attached by becoming buried in the floor as the vessel pulls away, with this opening becoming chancy depending on the type of the floor since the anchor might drag before opening, with a vessel losing precious meters in a cove. Furthermore, dragging damages the sea floor since plowing is involved.
Inventions have attempted to solve the problem of dragging, but they differ from my invention on the following topics:
The invention of George W. Long (US) of Jul. 7, 1984 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,934 A) describes a device with claws (♯and 48) that are perpendicular to the shank and they prevent the anchor from penetrating into the floor. Their respective shapes do not enable the flukes to be kept inclined and they do not limit plowing of the anchor in the floor. They are not level with the pivot axis of the flukes but are positioned halfway between the axis and the counterweight (50). The surface of each claw (46 and 48) is perpendicular to the shank (21). The supports (34 and 36) are present over the entire width of the anchor and encourage plowing.
The invention of Mannheimeer Ankerfabrik und Ham of Dec. 15, 1926 (FR 614 469 A) describes a device with a single claw (e) per fluke face, of considerable width and fitted to the fluke that is close to the shank and perpendicular to the shank(s) so as to oppose the flukes becoming buried in the sand, and its width does not favor the plow fluke.
The invention of Ernst A. Koblenz, of Dec. 20, 1951 (DE 825 504 C) describes a device with claws (6 and 7) that is similar to the claws of Mannheimeer Ankerfabrik und Ham of Dec. 15, 1926 (FR 614 469 A).
The invention of Claude Bonet et Fils of Dec. 14, 1957 (FR 1 080 883 A) describes a device with claws P2 situated on the neck (E) behind the pivot axis of the flukes P1 and does not favor pivoting. The neck (E) is present over the entire width of the rear of the anchor, resting on the floor, and opposes penetration of the anchor, without stabilizing and without avoiding it turning over.
The invention of Guy Charles Levy (FR) of Oct. 22, 2004 (FR 2 853 879 A1) describes a crown 2 situated behind the pivot axis of the fluke, thereby being less favorable to immediate pivoting. At the end of said crown, there are claws having their plane surfaces parallel to the pivot axis of the flukes. The width of the claws (1) opposes burial of the flukes, since they are perpendicular to the direction in which the anchor moves.